On Line
Try: really nice sideways with change of direction, backwards 1/4 turns and yoyo draw--from watching May mastery lesson
Keystone: progress thru 7 games plus touch it. Need more fun, friendly, dwell, grazing, touch it.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Friday
Try and I had a big morning:
1. played online with material from May mastery dvd: balance and counter balance. Did sideways and the change of direction and counter balance of the backing 1/4 turns. Then change of direction on the circle was lovely tracking left but got the nasty ears tracking right???? So Try decided she would like to move and I offered to help her with ??20 laps of canter--relaxed but mostly snarky. Afterwards we went on to some bareback freestyle: the best ever question box pattern--she soooooo knew it and I did not need anything but occasional bit of leg!! Then I did a little no stirrups posting trot for my strength. Cathy arrived and she and Shirley Try and I walked and trotted in Matrix's pasture with a nice big hill to go up and down.
Finished with Keystone in round pen. HOT by then and his first time in round pen--not hugely successful--just neutral. Next time do in the ring again, in the cool of the day and maybe play with the tarp.
Watch the level 1 online for ideas for Keystone and reward the May mastery dvd.
1. played online with material from May mastery dvd: balance and counter balance. Did sideways and the change of direction and counter balance of the backing 1/4 turns. Then change of direction on the circle was lovely tracking left but got the nasty ears tracking right???? So Try decided she would like to move and I offered to help her with ??20 laps of canter--relaxed but mostly snarky. Afterwards we went on to some bareback freestyle: the best ever question box pattern--she soooooo knew it and I did not need anything but occasional bit of leg!! Then I did a little no stirrups posting trot for my strength. Cathy arrived and she and Shirley Try and I walked and trotted in Matrix's pasture with a nice big hill to go up and down.
Finished with Keystone in round pen. HOT by then and his first time in round pen--not hugely successful--just neutral. Next time do in the ring again, in the cool of the day and maybe play with the tarp.
Watch the level 1 online for ideas for Keystone and reward the May mastery dvd.
Returning to blog
Well, I guess I am returning to blogging--my idea to keep diary on hard drive instead, review notes daily and weekly has been putting too much pressure on me. That may have worked for law school which was intellectual learning but with learning that is emotional/intellectual/physical I seem to need more time to process so I think weekly review of diary and twice a month review study notes and continue to make notes from study of dvds etc at a more leisurely pace.
Victory: Tuesday Try and I will join Ruby and Splash for a trail ride.
Today's plan:
Try and I
1. On Line: Watched the May gold dvd on exercises to counter balance and preparation for liberty. I really liked some of the smooth changes of direction and want to try them today.
2. Freestyle: bareback pad, carrot stick play with patterns walk and trot. Perhaps get western saddle for canter.
Keystone: follow up for a few minutes on line: porcupine head down, lots of friendly, yoyo and perhaps play with circling a little.
Victory: Tuesday Try and I will join Ruby and Splash for a trail ride.
Today's plan:
Try and I
1. On Line: Watched the May gold dvd on exercises to counter balance and preparation for liberty. I really liked some of the smooth changes of direction and want to try them today.
2. Freestyle: bareback pad, carrot stick play with patterns walk and trot. Perhaps get western saddle for canter.
Keystone: follow up for a few minutes on line: porcupine head down, lots of friendly, yoyo and perhaps play with circling a little.
Lovely day yesterday
Yesterday I had my first riding lesson with Keystone in two months and was pleased.
Keystone and I are playing with some Parelli basics this week also. I love the fact that he is so soft and relaxed and I can use light cueing even as I teach. Anyway, friendly is good--he is sensitive about his head. Porcupine: good and we are starting to learn to put our head down on cue so we can halter the Parelli way. Driving: good, even soft, nice 360s except that HQ requires some friendly so that its not a "ball" (as in ball/chair).
yoyo: he is getting the idea and backing from a phase 3, and draw is getting better as well, as he understands--he does seem to want to come be with me as a safe spot. We have been thinking of him as LBI but he feels RBI as well, perhaps because this is a vastly different learning experience for him. Certainly he is not as extremely left brain as Try.
circling: wonder of wonders, only a light send is required--and no problem with the allow with my being at neutral or upward transitions. Downward transitions--we need a better joint understanding--I think I may be confusing him. I am sure he has been longed on a line in the past but don't know how he was cued--Bethanna doesn't know either as no one at Rollover has ever longed him. Anyway, yesterday (day 2) he was just getting the idea of the HQ disengagement to stop, turn and face and ask permission to come in. I am amazed that this is happening so quickly and such lovely circling for a horse that needs encouragement to maintain gait for a rider.
Sideways: not yet.
Squeeze: this will be easy.
Touch it: Just starting to think about driving to move from place to place.
Keystone and I are playing with some Parelli basics this week also. I love the fact that he is so soft and relaxed and I can use light cueing even as I teach. Anyway, friendly is good--he is sensitive about his head. Porcupine: good and we are starting to learn to put our head down on cue so we can halter the Parelli way. Driving: good, even soft, nice 360s except that HQ requires some friendly so that its not a "ball" (as in ball/chair).
yoyo: he is getting the idea and backing from a phase 3, and draw is getting better as well, as he understands--he does seem to want to come be with me as a safe spot. We have been thinking of him as LBI but he feels RBI as well, perhaps because this is a vastly different learning experience for him. Certainly he is not as extremely left brain as Try.
circling: wonder of wonders, only a light send is required--and no problem with the allow with my being at neutral or upward transitions. Downward transitions--we need a better joint understanding--I think I may be confusing him. I am sure he has been longed on a line in the past but don't know how he was cued--Bethanna doesn't know either as no one at Rollover has ever longed him. Anyway, yesterday (day 2) he was just getting the idea of the HQ disengagement to stop, turn and face and ask permission to come in. I am amazed that this is happening so quickly and such lovely circling for a horse that needs encouragement to maintain gait for a rider.
Sideways: not yet.
Squeeze: this will be easy.
Touch it: Just starting to think about driving to move from place to place.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Update
1. Try and I have been attempting to come to terms on L3 liberty--concentration for the full 10 minutes is an issue and getting compulsories done in 10 minutes without lighting a fire under a calm, slowing moving Try as issue. Lighting a fire is not desirable LOL as it causes a loss of thinking.
2. I have signed up for 2 day clinic and 1 hour private time with Berin Macfarlane for the end of the month.
3. I am entering a 1/2 lease of Keystone to add in a different riding experience for the summer. Plan is to do my basic riding lessons with Keystone and my no-stirrups posting trot homework. (3 days per week total) This should allow for more time and flexibility for Parelli with Try. Will also probably bring Keystone along in L1/L2--lacking is sideways online and ??freestyle--I think its there--just confusing to Keystone that he can take responsibility. (LBI/RBI)
2. I have signed up for 2 day clinic and 1 hour private time with Berin Macfarlane for the end of the month.
3. I am entering a 1/2 lease of Keystone to add in a different riding experience for the summer. Plan is to do my basic riding lessons with Keystone and my no-stirrups posting trot homework. (3 days per week total) This should allow for more time and flexibility for Parelli with Try. Will also probably bring Keystone along in L1/L2--lacking is sideways online and ??freestyle--I think its there--just confusing to Keystone that he can take responsibility. (LBI/RBI)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
May 25
I have switched to a new system for motivation and have not been updating here. Have started a book of notes of what I am concentrating on as a word doc and as a printout, doing study of 20 min per day average and reviewing all my notes and making monthly and weekly plans.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Make versus Want
Private 2 hours with Instructor Annie Shank yesterday!
I had emailed Annie in advance my issue with consistency, wanting a lovely relaxed, soft attitude from Try instead of the mild brace that I often feel. What follows is an incredible session where I was able to learn how I was making Try do things rather than causing her to want to do things--allowing her the choice. Needless to say, with Try "make" is not going to go over well with her extreme left brain nature--frankly, it ticks her off. Also as a 19 year old with so much experience in various disciplines, overcueing and making her do things is rude as it ignores her great ability to take responsibility and do it herself. So hopefully, I can relearn from square 1 the "want" versus "make", I can have the "magic" Try, the soft, relaxed lovely Try more often.
WINNING THE FRIENDLY GAME:
I thought because Try and I were getting 4s on our auditions for friendly game that we were doing great. NOT--I was missing the point. Winning the friendly game is not about Try standing still tolerating or being oblivious to whatever I do in the way of extreme friendly--it is about what I am doing in the friendly game bringing about the kind of relaxation and softness that we would both enjoy!
Games:
1. Swinging string over Try's back with rhythm and a little energy until I see the slightest sign of more relaxation then quit--its the release that teaches. Signs to look for--any softening, lick/chew, head lowering, exhale, blinking.
2. The ball: Next we walked to the big green ball and of course Try offered to push it around some. Annie had me bounce the ball on her top line and her side. Try was a little bothered by it on her side. Again watching for relaxation and quit, rub etc the release teaches.
3. Patting Try with rhythm and energy beginning at her neck and working toward her flank. Try seemed to prefer having her belly patted to her topline--more like a massage. Same principles of release, etc.
4. Patting top of her neck with coiled 45' line until Try lowers her head even the slightest bit. Note: my arm got tired after awhile--at home I could stand on pedestal to do this one to prevent the interruption it caused.
All of the 2 hour session was really about friendly game but a caveat is that at home I will need to be CREATIVE in coming up with different friendly games or this will get really boring to Try.
Next we went to the WEAVE on the 22' line with the object being lightness, NOT using the rope and my being as far away from the cones as I could. I quickly learned how I had been using the rope AND over cueing. I was using the rope to bring her thru rather than draw AND I was oversending with the stick and found that Try responded well to my simply pointed with just a bit of energy. ??draw was it just my backing up?? can't remember.
To improve DRAW we went to the backward S (circling game, change of direction) BUT Annie taught me about the double S where not only is Try doing the S but I am as well. Took awhile to get it--I back up in zone 5, point stick at zone4 but low and focus ahead not at Try's butt until she decides to give me two eyes (draw) and then redirect/change of direction.
Next we played with my looking at Try's HQ--just LOOKING--for a loooooooooooooooong phase 1 then quick 234 until I was getting a good HQ disengagement from the look.
Then to change to the otherside which Try did not want me on her right side. I loop my hand under her jaw and hold til she gives with my elbow low enough that she can get through. Permission to change sides then repeat looking at HQ for disengagement on second side.
Walk looking at HQ, get the disengagement until two eyes come thru, stick behind my back and FQ yield.
NOTE: THERE IS A GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN TRY AND I ON HER LEFT SIDE VERSUS RIGHT SIDE!! THIS NEEDS TO BE HOMEWORK.
Next we played with SIDEWAYS TOWARDS on the right side. Annie helped with a little porcupine on the other side. The release teaches. I have forgotten some of the learning here. She did offer as a suggestion for when I don't have a second person to help to use savvy string around her midsection to get a step so Try will understand what I am asking.
Then we went back to patting the 45' line on Try's neck--see above.
Then we played with the FIGURE 8. I had been looking for two eyes before backing before and learned to look for the question instead and not to switch hands on the stick until that moment. Also to back STRAIGHT back not on the diagonal. (Not sure why tho.) This really got a much better 8.
We took a water break and then finished up with the PEDESTAL as I would like Try to be able to put 4 feet on the pedestal. Again not MAKE but WANT--so not using string on back leg but encouraging Try to come forward. For now, just getting her to walk over the pedestal will be good. Annie suspects when Try AND I are comfortable with that that Try will offer to stay on the pedestal with 4 feet.
I had emailed Annie in advance my issue with consistency, wanting a lovely relaxed, soft attitude from Try instead of the mild brace that I often feel. What follows is an incredible session where I was able to learn how I was making Try do things rather than causing her to want to do things--allowing her the choice. Needless to say, with Try "make" is not going to go over well with her extreme left brain nature--frankly, it ticks her off. Also as a 19 year old with so much experience in various disciplines, overcueing and making her do things is rude as it ignores her great ability to take responsibility and do it herself. So hopefully, I can relearn from square 1 the "want" versus "make", I can have the "magic" Try, the soft, relaxed lovely Try more often.
WINNING THE FRIENDLY GAME:
I thought because Try and I were getting 4s on our auditions for friendly game that we were doing great. NOT--I was missing the point. Winning the friendly game is not about Try standing still tolerating or being oblivious to whatever I do in the way of extreme friendly--it is about what I am doing in the friendly game bringing about the kind of relaxation and softness that we would both enjoy!
Games:
1. Swinging string over Try's back with rhythm and a little energy until I see the slightest sign of more relaxation then quit--its the release that teaches. Signs to look for--any softening, lick/chew, head lowering, exhale, blinking.
2. The ball: Next we walked to the big green ball and of course Try offered to push it around some. Annie had me bounce the ball on her top line and her side. Try was a little bothered by it on her side. Again watching for relaxation and quit, rub etc the release teaches.
3. Patting Try with rhythm and energy beginning at her neck and working toward her flank. Try seemed to prefer having her belly patted to her topline--more like a massage. Same principles of release, etc.
4. Patting top of her neck with coiled 45' line until Try lowers her head even the slightest bit. Note: my arm got tired after awhile--at home I could stand on pedestal to do this one to prevent the interruption it caused.
All of the 2 hour session was really about friendly game but a caveat is that at home I will need to be CREATIVE in coming up with different friendly games or this will get really boring to Try.
Next we went to the WEAVE on the 22' line with the object being lightness, NOT using the rope and my being as far away from the cones as I could. I quickly learned how I had been using the rope AND over cueing. I was using the rope to bring her thru rather than draw AND I was oversending with the stick and found that Try responded well to my simply pointed with just a bit of energy. ??draw was it just my backing up?? can't remember.
To improve DRAW we went to the backward S (circling game, change of direction) BUT Annie taught me about the double S where not only is Try doing the S but I am as well. Took awhile to get it--I back up in zone 5, point stick at zone4 but low and focus ahead not at Try's butt until she decides to give me two eyes (draw) and then redirect/change of direction.
Next we played with my looking at Try's HQ--just LOOKING--for a loooooooooooooooong phase 1 then quick 234 until I was getting a good HQ disengagement from the look.
Then to change to the otherside which Try did not want me on her right side. I loop my hand under her jaw and hold til she gives with my elbow low enough that she can get through. Permission to change sides then repeat looking at HQ for disengagement on second side.
Walk looking at HQ, get the disengagement until two eyes come thru, stick behind my back and FQ yield.
NOTE: THERE IS A GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN TRY AND I ON HER LEFT SIDE VERSUS RIGHT SIDE!! THIS NEEDS TO BE HOMEWORK.
Next we played with SIDEWAYS TOWARDS on the right side. Annie helped with a little porcupine on the other side. The release teaches. I have forgotten some of the learning here. She did offer as a suggestion for when I don't have a second person to help to use savvy string around her midsection to get a step so Try will understand what I am asking.
Then we went back to patting the 45' line on Try's neck--see above.
Then we played with the FIGURE 8. I had been looking for two eyes before backing before and learned to look for the question instead and not to switch hands on the stick until that moment. Also to back STRAIGHT back not on the diagonal. (Not sure why tho.) This really got a much better 8.
We took a water break and then finished up with the PEDESTAL as I would like Try to be able to put 4 feet on the pedestal. Again not MAKE but WANT--so not using string on back leg but encouraging Try to come forward. For now, just getting her to walk over the pedestal will be good. Annie suspects when Try AND I are comfortable with that that Try will offer to stay on the pedestal with 4 feet.
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